Be a Part of Recovery 2011

February 9, 2011

You can help the Red Cross by giving blood now to help the blood supply recover!

With this latest round of severe winter storms, the Red Cross has been unable to collect blood in certain parts of the country, and has been forced to cancel over 750 blood drives and over 28,000 scheduled blood donations since January 1. More cancelations are expected due to this week's winter weather. As a result, in this period blood collections are the lowest we have seen in a decade.

“At any given moment, patients rely on life-saving blood products. The need is constant -- even in emergency situations,” said Jan Hale, Communications Director for the Red Cross South Central Blood Services Division. “The quickest help will come from local blood donors who are able to travel safely to a nearby blood drive or donor center in the days and weeks ahead."

The Red Cross urges people who are eligible to schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets now if it is safe to travel in your area. Visit redcrossblood.orgnow to find a blood drive near you or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). All blood types are needed, but there is a special need for donors with O-Negative, A-Negative and B-Negative blood.

The Red Cross distributes blood products to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the United States. People have been responding to the call for blood donors, and the Red Cross is grateful to those who are stepping up to donate blood to help the blood supply recover and return to sufficient levels.

How to Donate Blood

To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.